HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

BUILDING DESIGN PROJECT APPRAISAL

EDUCATION BUILDINGS ADVISORY GROUP

8 MARCH 2002

EXECUTIVE MEMBER - POLICY & RESOURCES

11 APRIL 2002

PROJECT:	ELVETHAM HEATH PRIMARY SCHOOL
	NEW 210 PLACE PRIMARY SCHOOL
COMMENCEMENT DATE:	AUGUST 2002
COMPLETION DATE:	JULY 2003
PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME:		2002/ 03

RECOMMENDATION:

That the building design project appraisal for the new Elvetham Heath Primary School scheme be approved.

1. FINANCE

Capital Expenditure	Current Estimate (at Nov '01 prices) £'000	Capital Programme (at Nov '01 prices) £'000
Buildings	2,103	2,103
Fees	337	337
Land to be purchased	_	_
TOTAL	* 2,440	2,440

Furniture and Equipment: subject to the County Education Officer's assessment of need with the Headteacher, together with the availability of funding, a furniture and equipment allocation will be made from the block vote in the Education Committee's Capital Programme in the appropriate financial year.

Financial Provision for Total Scheme	Buildings £'000	Fees £'000	Total Cost £'000
1. From Committee's own Resources:
a) Capital Programme 2002/03	2,103	337	2,440
TOTAL	2,103	337	2,440

Devolved Capital Allocations: Not applicable to a new school building. Landlord Funded Work connected with this Scheme

There is no Landlord funded work to be undertaken as part of this scheme.

Value of Land already acquired for this Project

The County Council has exercised an opinion to acquire a long lease of the proposed new school site at nil rent. Is it expected the lease will be completed during March 2002. The lease is restricted to education use therefore the value of the site to the County Council is as a school site.

Building Cost - Gross Cost = £ 1,560 per m²

- Net Cost = £ 1,264 per m² which includes abnormals of £97 per m² associated with the substructure, mono-draught ventilation, reception desk and drama blinds.

Revenue Implications

	(a) Employees £'000	(b) Other £'000	(a+b) Net Current Expenditure £'000	(c) Capital Charges £'000	(a+b+c) Total Net Expenditure £'000
Revenue Implications Additional+ /Reductions	Nil	70	70	189	259
Unit cost (£) (e.g. per place)	-	-	-	-	-
% variation to Committee's budget	-				-
Number of additional Staff (fte)	-				-

(a) Energy Costs

It is anticipated that the annual fuel cost for the new school will be in the order of £3.97 per m².

(b) Maintenance Costs

The detailed design and choice of materials will minimise future maintenance liability.

2. STATEMENT OF NEED/JUSTIFICATION FOR PROJECT

Due to the new housing development at Elvetham Heath a bid for basic need pupil growth was made to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). This was successful and a 210 place primary school impermanent facilities will open in September 2003.

3. DETAILS OF SITE

LOCATION

The new school will be located at Turners Way, Elvetham Heath.

ADJOINING LAND AND BUILDINGS

The site of the new school will be bordered to the south by a supermarket car park and sites for a proposed nursery and church. To the west is a Community playing field, tennis courts with the site of a proposed sports pavilion and car park beyond to the north-west. Turners Way runs along the border of the site from west to north with new housing, Fleet Services and the M3 Motorway beyond. To the east is an area of residential development set around an urban street frontage which opens out into a "local square" and the High Street.

AREA INCLUDING COMPARISON WITH LOCAL/NATIONAL STANDARDS

The total site area is 3.95 acres (1.60 hectares). The DfES guideline for a school of this size is 2.3 and 2.65 acres (0.96 and 1.1 hectares).

PLANNING POSITION

Planning permission for this scheme has been granted.

SUITABILITY FOR PROJECT

The provision of a 210 place primary school in Elvetham Heath will provide appropriate school facilities to serve the new housing development where a total of 1,700 dwellings are being built, some of which are already completed and occupied.

The school has been designed to provide the appropriate teaching accommodation and ancillary facilities for a 1FE school. Space on the site is available for future expansion should the need or resources be made available.

The proposals outlined is this appraisal have been prepared in consultation with the County Education Officer and the newly appointed Headteacher of the School.

RESULTS OF TRIAL BORE HOLES

A site investigation was undertaken at the proposed primary school site during September and November 2001. The ground conditions were found to be topsoil or made ground overlying mixed strata which consisted of mainly sands to the depth of the trial holes.

The proposed foundation will be to a depth of 1m generally with localised areas being deeper. The floor construction is to be made of a 150mm deep ground bearing structural slab.

ACCESS

Vehicular access will be from the south-eastern corner of the site and will lead to the staff car park. This entrance will also be used for refuse collections and deliveries to and from the kitchen/service area.

Pedestrian access will be from further along the eastern boundary adjacent to the "local square". This controlled access point will have a lockable gate to assist the school in managing access to the courtyard. It is intended that the courtyard will remain accessible during the school day and a door entry security system will be in operation at the main entrance door to the school. The courtyard will provide a safe place off the public footpath for pupils, parents and visitors to congregate.

As part of these proposals it is intended to widen the public footpath from the adjacent supermarket car park, along the section of the High Street immediately in front of the school. There is no drop-off point at the front of the school and it is therefore intended to make the short journey from the nearby car park as safe as possible.

An existing pedestrian access point to the community playing field will be retained; however, this is not intended for public use and will be managed by the school as required.

The existing vehicular and pedestrian point to the west of the site, established when the temporary school opened, will be retained. The temporary car park, turning head and gates will be removed and the vehicular entrance will be used by service vehicles for maintenance of the playing fields and external areas and for grass cutting, subject to the agreement with the adjoining owner.

COMMENTS ON SITE LAYOUT

The site is of a triangular shape and slopes from the highest point in the west to the east with a fall of about three metres. The site was formerly a pine forest with areas of scrubland and dense vegetation. The majority of the trees have been felled with only the north of the site retaining a number of trees. This is also the lowest point on the site and it is proposed to establish a pond / environmental area.

The new school will be positioned towards the eastern boundary of the site with buildings positioned in linear form running from south to north. In accordance with the Development Brief the building will be arranged so that the entrance and principal shared areas adjoin the Square, creating an external arrival area. The main entrance will be accessed via a courtyard which will have a covered waiting area.

The vehicular entrance and staff car park will be located in the south-east corner of the site with pedestrian access further along to the east.

An informal hard play area and Reception play area will adjoin the western elevation of the building with the grassed playing field extending to the north and west. A hard surfaced games court to the west of the playing field, which has been established for the temporary school, will remain.

MAINS SERVICES POSITION

Connection to the site of primary infrastructure (sewers and road connections) together with all other services such as power and gas has been provided by the developer as part of the legal agreement.

MAINTENANCE IMPLICATIONS

The site will continue to be maintained in accordance with current County Council standards.

LANDSCAPE PROPOSALS

The following external facilities and landscaping will be provided:

- grass playing pitch

- formal hard surfaced play court, of suitable size and shape to accommodate a netball court

- informal hard areas accessible directly from classrooms and shared areas

- dedicated reception class play area with appropriate security fencing

- environmental study area, retaining the better quality specimen trees

- planting screen to the western boundary to separate the site from the adjacent car park and distributor road

- hedge to the southern boundary to the site of the proposed nursery, to continue the line of fence and hedge provided by the housing developer

- walls and railings to the frontage to the High Street and Square

- tree screen to the eastern boundary to provide screening from the neighbouring houses and shading of morning sun to the new school building

- hard paving and a specimen tree to the courtyard at the main entrance to the building

- low level planting around the building and edges of the play areas.

- pathways connecting play areas

4. THE PROPOSEDBUILDING/RATIONALISATION/CONVERSION

TYPE OF PROJECT, LAYOUT AND FACILITIES PROVIDED

It is proposed to construct a new one form entry (1FE), 210 place primary school. The accommodation will comprise:

- seven classrooms including one reception classroom (each with stores and wet areas)

- hall

- library

- music / drama room

- ICT room

- SEN room

- tutorial room

- cooking area

- craft area

- kiln room / store

- shared areas

- Headteachers office

- reception area

- pupil WCs

- Accessible WC

- school office / medical room

- staff work room

- staff store

- staff WC / shower

- servery

- kitchen

- PE store

- caretakers room

- plant room

PLACES PROVIDED

Upon completion of these proposal 210 places will be provided.

PRESENT/REDUNDANT BUILDINGS AND FUTURE USE

The proposed site was previously a pine forest with areas of grass scrubland and vegetation and has been reserved for use as a primary school, as part of the planning agreement, to serve the new Elvetham Heath Development.

TEMPORARY BUILDINGS

The temporary buildings currently located on this school site comprise four classrooms, a hall and WC's.

Upon completion of these proposals all of the temporary buildings will be removed from site.

SITUATION ON SITE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The new school has been carefully designed to minimise any adverse environmental effects to the site and surrounding area. Where possible materials have been chosen that will match or compliment the form and materials of the surrounding new buildings. The height and volume of the hall identifies the school from a distance and completes the grouping of public buildings along the High Street. To the rear of the classroom wing the building is kept intentionally lower and less formal to reduce the impact on views from neighbouring houses.

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION, FINISH AND APPEARANCE

The new school will be of a single storey construction with steeply pitched roofs and a series of gables. It is also proposed to construct a series of chimney-like structures on the classroom wing roof which will provide good quality natural light and ventilation to the classrooms below. The materials to be used will comprise plain clay tiles to the pitched roofs, facing brickwork to the external walls with horizontal timber boarding to some gables and cladding at lower levels. Windows will have aluminium frames and will be double glazed.

FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED

The building will be single storey and will have level access throughout to facilitate access by non-ambulant users. Thresholds at the entrances and throughout the building will be level, with no external steps, to enable complete accessibility to all areas of the building. All doorways are to be sufficiently wide for access by those in wheelchairs and light switches will be at a height accessible in a standing or seated position.

An Accessible WC will be included in the new building.

HEATING AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS

A plant room will house energy efficient gas fired condensing boilers serving a low pressure hot water system feeding radiators.

Ventilation will be by natural means via opening windows and the steep pitched roofs will create light and airy internal spaces. Mechanical assistance to the kitchen and toilet areas will be provided.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDING

The building will be naturally ventilated, high efficiency fluorescent lighting will be used throughout the building along with non-solvent based low odour paints.

The estimated annual energy consumption for the new building will meet that required by the new Building Regulations introduced on the 1 April 2002.

ALTERNATIVE STANDARDS OF PROVISION CONSIDERED

As a result of the new housing development in Elvetham Heath a new 1FE school is considered to be the most appropriate way of serving the primary educational needs in this area to meet the population growth.

CAR PARKING

11 car parking bays, including one for use by disabled people and sufficient space for a delivery area will be provided in the south-east corner of the site adjacent to the main vehicular entrance. This amount is in line with current Hampshire County Council parking standards which is based on 1.5 spaces per classroom.

Visitors to the school who come by car will use the nearby Village Square or supermarket car parks. Disabled visitors can use the staff car park by special arrangement or park in the nearby car parks where there will be level access to the school.

CONSULTATIONS

The following have been consulted during the development of the project: Headteacher of the school, County Education Officer, County Planning Officer, Hart District Council, County Surveyor, Estates Practice, Executive Member - Education, Local County Councillor.

5. THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT

The new school building has been carefully designed as an integral part of the overall Elvetham Heath development. The form and materials of the building along with the position of the school provide the development with a strong identity and sense of place.

6. BUILDING MANAGEMENT

CLEANING

Current arrangements will continue when the new building is complete.

CATERING

Current arrangements will continue when the new building is complete.

7. FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT

From the block vote in the Education Committee's Capital Programme.

8. STAFFING

No effect.

9. FEES

Architectural Services - Property, Business and

Regulatory Services

Quantity Surveying - Selway Joyce Partnership

Electrical and Mechanical Engineering - Property, Business and

Regulatory Services

Structural Engineering - RJ Watkinson

Drainage Consultant - Mike McArtney

Landscape Architect - RPS

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